Stewie, I just used that one reference to shut the other "guest" up.

I HAVE read, some years ago now, material that noted Macon's general (yet tolerant and easygoing) dislike of bluegrass and of Scruggs' playing style.

Uncle Dave was a solid musician, nothing fancy, but he seemed to always keep ENTERTAINMENT at the center of what he did. I don't believe, if I may project my opinions a little, that Uncle Dave saw great playing skill ALONE as all that entertaining.

Certainly, there have been people in my life who have LOVED Flatt & Scruggs who could not tell you whether Earl was a great player, or whether he played a banjo or a bike tire. They just know what they like.

Uncle Dave, to me, seemed to base his career on the idea that people know what they like - and that he was going to mine those laughs, smiles and rounds of applause for all they were worth.

I've read the stories of "Ernest" Scruggs not being "a damned bit funny" a million times. I KNOW Uncle Dave was just yanking Earl's chain. That being said, I believe there had to be SOME slight resentment in Macon's joking comments. After all, he was watching 'old-time' music and entertainment getting replaced, little by little, by slick, commercial acts that would change the Opry and the music business permanently.

To me, the "Dixie Dewdrop" represents the best of what regular folks could enjoy that fit in seamlessly with their lives. Later on, music stars became these unknowable, unreachable personalities that people could barely relate to.

We need more "regular folks" on the music scene today.